Monthly Archives: November 2009

GERMAN HISTORY IS FILLED WITH NON-GERMANS, BUT MOST GERMANS DON’T STUDY HISTORY MUCH AND IGNORE THE HISTORICAL FACTS (Part 1)

By Kevin Stoda, Wiesbaden, Germany

According to the late Bernt Engelmann, the author of DU DEUTSCH?, subtitled the “History of Foreigners in Germany”, makes a very strong case that from the time that warring Prussia took over most of what became known as Germany in 1870, there were living in the geographic borders of Germany already a very large number of foreigners. Moreover, Engelmann notes that from the turn of the 20th century census statisticians were fudging the count of foreigners so that these large “foreign” population with in the German Empires’ borders, from Kalingrad to Strassbourg were vastly undercounted.

This is something which Germans, especially German civil servants, who abuse foreigners with their rules and arbitrary actions should come to understand about real German history. After all, as part of the current citizenship process, German-citizen-wannabes are required to study German history.

Engelmann began the second chapter of his history with the question “Who are foreigners?” with a quote from Kurt Tucholsky. Tucholsky had stated in the early 20th Century, “Only once in Europe is man a citizen. The other twenty times is he a foreigner [wherever he goes]. . . . Who knows? Maybe that is true 32 times that. This happens when one writes down German Reich as one’s address.” This was because even within the new Germany, people from one part of the Reich were seen by many other Germans as coming from a foreign place, such as Detmold an der Lippe or East Prussia or the Palatinate or Bavaria—rather than as a local citizen. In many cases, only if the address on the passport-used was clearly of the entire German Reich would local civil servants refer to the person in question specifically as a German national. This is because over many centuries, the local government’s civil servants have historically had great powers to define rights of a resident according to German federal development.

In short, 19th Century Europe, was a patchwork of states, nations, and peoples looking for a land to call German Patria. Before this was the Roman empire and then there was the German bund. In the German bund there existed up through mid-century into at least 30 different autonomous states in a very loose confederal system. Other countries, like the Austrian Habsburg Empire, were also made up of 30 different peoples and nationalities, but they did not consider themselves a bund. They were an Empire of various Slavik, Hungarian, German, Romanian, Bulgarian and Albanian groups. It was only through nationalist movements and wars of aggression that a few political leaders were able to begin to further tidy up some of the borders and the checkerboard of countries making up the maps of central and southwestern Europe starting just before 1860.

This is why Engelmann warns students of history that the 1900 census in Germany was largely fictitious affair as far as the list of foreigners living within the borders of the Kaiser’s Empire was concerned. Officially, according to the census figures, there were 56 million people living within German borders in 1900. Of these, only 780,000 were specifically listed as foreigners. On the face of it, it appeared that only 1.4 % of the population of the German Reich were foreigners at the turn of the 20th Century.

“Not really true, “ explained Engelmann, who survived concentration camps in Germany in the 1940s as Nazi-led Germany fought wars for its popular “Germany for Germans” myths. Engelmann wrote, “Many millions of foreigners by today’s standards were called national in that census, simply because they had always lived in German borders for a few years within the Reich’s borders.”

For example, Englemann noted, “No Polish were counted because they didn’t have a country at the time. . . . The Polish Party of Germany was even represented in parliament with 14 representatives as of 1903. “ The same could be said of dozens of other peoples and nationalities within both the German and Austrian Reichs. (Many Austrians moved to Germany looking for work as the Industrial Revolution took off in the 19th century, but as they learned to speak some German by 1900 or spoke it already and because Germany had its eye on-and-off on Austria as apotential Anschluss-partner, almost none of the German speaking one-time Austrian Empire residents were counted as foreigners either.) In short Engelmann reports, when one includes all the various language and national groups and cultures busily employed in Germany as of 1900, there were over 3.6 million foreigner, who were often mislabeled “Inlanders” by the German Census bureau.

There were among the many “Inlander” Lithuanians, Sorb, Czeks, Slowaks, Walloons, Russians, Ukranians–and in many cases Russians or Byelorussians—included in that some of 3.6 Million. Now, simply add 3.6 million and 780,000 (Italians, French, Dutch, Danish, Americans, Brits, and other who were in the foreigner statistics) and you have a sum of nearly 4.4 million foreigners in Germany as of 1900. That means at the very least there were 7.8 percent foreigners living and working in Germany officially or full-time as of 1900.

Later, in Engelmann’s German history book we discover that there were likely well over one or two million migratory workers and uncounted workers—mostly from Eastern Europe– in German censuses under the Kaiser. This was because the great farms of the Junkers and other East Prussians were farmed only by laborers from abroad who often officially were not permitted to stay after harvest “inland”. However, there was often need even in winter for many of these to stay and be housed on German soil. This pushes the population of foreigners in the German Kaiser Reich to well over 10 % of the population.

In short, just like Germany in 1900, Germany in 2000 through 2009 has been a nation of many nationalities and immigrants. The difference is that the census figures are more exact today.

What should be the repercussions in German society if the vast number of government leaders, civil servants and German populations were to come to recognize the facts of history—rather than the myths of earlier Reichs and German Reich-era historians?
Obviously, Germans would have to quickly acknowledge that the land had often been a melting pot of sorts, which already had a vast number of people’s already integrated into the system by the 1930s, when German nationalism ran amok and tore down the multicultural (called at that time cosmopolitan) society. It is likely that the myths of German national identity and statecraft (and war craft) covered up a more authentic history and identity of most in Germany for most of the 20th Century.

In the 21st Century, Germans must come clean with their history and work for the first time in a century or more on real integration issues, instead of blaming the foreigners and new-comers for all their ills—as has been occurring under the thumbs of government officials in this decade. These officials see themselves as the last bastion of resistance to promoting German Nationhood in the face of globalizing influences and migration. This attitude and attack on the personhoods and attributes of so-called foreigners must end.

Otherwise, there will be a demographic collapse in Germany in less than a decade or so. Germans need to embrace a more multicultural identity and understand their historic mission to integrate others more efficiently and in a people friendly manner. The population of Germany has been sinking each year for a generation and the aging German working population depends on migrants to fill the holes in the sinking ship caused by the retirement of the last baby boom generation in German history (1945 to 1960s). With less than two children per household, such a blindly nationalist immigration and integration system needs to be rethought through.

NEWS NOW GERMANY

Interestingly, as I prepared to publish this article, a case from Wuppertal (held now in Munster) is being undertaken in court to decide whether a young Jordanian youth, who was born in Germany and who only knows his homeland—if at all—through visits in school vacation, should be deported after being involved as a minor in various criminal activities. The youth’s name is Samer S. and his lawyer uses the language of Berndt Engelmann, i.e. calling the young man an “Inlander” (as opposed to the German word Auslaender, which means foreigner in German. Bernt Engelmann in DU DEUTSCH?
had used the term “Inlander” to talk about the 5 million uncounted long-time residents and longtime foreigners in Germany in the 1900 census.

The current German law used to expel foreign trouble-making youth was created to mirror the American legislation, which expels primarily Central American youth to their parent’s homelands when they are involved in gang-like criminal activities in the USA. In America, then, any minor or who (1) was not born in a foreign land but (2) who does not yet have USA nationality, and (3) who likely only knows his homeland—if at all—through visits there in school vacation may be expelled through American law to another country if that homeland-of-the-youth’s-parents agrees to accept the adolescent criminal.

Meanwhile in another German city tomorrow, on December 2, in Bremen a conference of German ministers from each state (or Bundesland) will be the point of protest actions and counter-conferences led by numerous stateless youth and by children of long-term refugees in Germany who are facing the possibility that they, too, soon be expelled from their current home country.

One reason for this time-and-date to organize such protests is that one-year ago some 38,000 youth, all without German papers and work permits, were given one-year only to get a regular job or face deportment immediately from Germany. As of now only 7,000 of these have been able to come up with permanent work during the economic crises. Moreover, the lack of proper German IDs makes it very difficult for anyone in Germany to find a good job.

Most Germans and German officials fail to see that there is any direct connection between the fact that a youth becomes criminal and the fact that his life chances have been so restricted by German laws identifying him or her as a non-German resident or “Auslaender” (foreigner) even though they were born and raised here.Continue reading →

“When the people fear their government there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.” Thomas Jefferson

They would fear this! Time for a 28th Amendment.

Amendment 28

Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators or Representatives, and Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States.

Let’s get this passed around, folks – these people have brought this upon themselves!!! Continue reading →

Our church and world are already inundated with conflicting views on single life. Basically, “single” means simply that one is not living with husband or wife. One might be a widow, a divorce, or never even been married. There are, however, many myths about leadership roles in churches as related to singleness. These myths include the idea that only “marrieds” should hold leadership roles in the church. We need to avoid such myths.

Last summer, I shared with my congregation a sermon about New Testament role models, such as the Apostle Paul, about Martha & Mary, Anne at the Alter, and John the Babtist. All these New Testament heroes were singles—as was, of course, Jesus the Christ.

Today, I want to encourage more involvement from all church members & participants by sharing on inspiring Old Testament figures who were single and super role models for Christians in all our fellowships worldwide today. They are models of faith and communities of which they were full members.

Again, I have a lot of the basis for this message from David M. Hoffeditz’s work, THEY WERE SINGLE, TOO.

American suicide rates for military personnel are setting all-time highs, but America is not the only place where PTSD and related war experiences can lead to violence. Germany is only now beginning to brace itself for the hard lessons of war and war zone experience—and how that continues to effect volunteers and their loved ones (and society) long after the battles are over.

During most of the Cold War era, no German soldiers were sent to engage in wars, battles or do international peace keeping duties until the Yugoslavian breakup of the 1990s and the end of Cambodian wars. Since that decade, German forces have been found in war zones in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and in Africa. Since Germany sees its forces abroad as working in peacekeeping and development capacity, there has been little inclination to really face the issues of post-traumatic stress faced by its troops.

James Dunnigan wrote in August, “In the last three years, some 62,000 German troops have been stationed in combat (or peacekeeping) zones, where they can be exposed to traumatic events, the most traumatic one being not allowed to fight back.”

Dunnigan claimed that a lot of the stress had had to do with the rules of engagement (ROE) that most German, non-combat and combat troops find themselves in. “While many Germans oppose the presence of their troops in Afghanistan, the restrictive ROEs [prior to changes in August this year] had become a growing embarrassment. The thousands of German soldiers who had served in Afghanistan continued to complain about it when they returned home. And then there the growing number of soldiers coming back suffering from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). Last year, 245 German soldiers, who had served in war zones (including Afghanistan), were classified as PTSD casualties. The year before, there were only 83 PTSD casualties. The restrictive ROE caused stress. Just the thought of it can be stressful.”

Suicide attempts have not been uncommon among returnees from wherever German Peacekeepers have been, though. The Yugoslavian occupations have brought back severely strained troops to make their way in a post-military Germany.

In an article entitled, “Already Forgotten” [Schon Vergerssen], a German Bundeswehr (Military) article on the web recently talked of the work the Evangelical church is offering on behalf of returning soldiers—who are no longer helped nor covered by PTSD assistance offered by military psychologists. This lack of help for former soldiers by the Bundeswehr itself has forced many concerned former soldiers to create their own self-help organizations.

One such self-help group is named SKARABAES after the Egyptian beetle god of stong transformation or “transforming strength”. Heinz Sonnenstrahl, a former sergeant, founded the group in 2003 for those no longer serving in the military. Sonnenstrahl is particularly concerned that some of these soldiers will eventually undertake an attack on society as American’s witnessed in the recent Fort Hood massacre.

Just as Dunnigan (above) was concerned with the extra stress that Germans face often as non-combatants in a war-zone, Sonnenstrahl has noted that 8 years of war in Afghanistan is longer than the duration of WWII. He pointed out in an interview with the Left Party’s newspaper, KLAR, last week that it is quite clear that military forces are “ill-fit to fulfill the role of peacekeeper in Afghanistan”.

Sonnenstrahl notes that until now German society and its national military leaders are keeping the vast number of problems faced by war-zone returnees a bit under wraps because all of Germany’s international activities require volunteers.

Sonnestrahl claims that if knowledge of the vast problem of PTSD “were well-known, military volunteerism in Germany would be significantly adversely affected”.

Sonnenstrahl also explains that the most traumatic phases of PTSD sometimes only manifest themselves after forces have been out of Afghanistan or other war zones for a long time. Therefore, the lack of trained professional help (outside the military or Bundeswehr) after one leaves the military is a grave issue in Germany these days. The founder of SKARABAES adds, “It is often much later, after returning or leaving the military, that the total collapse for individual victims of PTSD occurs.”Continue reading →

I have just heard of Pfizer Pharmaceutical’s decision to leave New London, Connecticut. The state of Connecticut has done nothing to protect the citizens of New London abused by local usage of eminent domain for decades. Many other states have been concerned of the run amok real estate and city planning practices in Connecticut, New York and other places in America. Americans are growing wary, but more must be done.

I would suggest all reader write the following emails: “Dear, Connecticut Government Leaders, Why not use Eminent Domain and take over Pfizer and all those big bad insurance companies that misuse America’s total landscape?”

According to DEMOCRACY NOW, “Homeowners in New London, Connecticut [had taken] . . . on the city’s leaders after they announced plans to condemn all of the homes in one neighborhood to make way for a private development project for pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. The city said it would bring in thousands of jobs. After a 2005 Supreme Court ruling against the homeowners, the entire neighborhood was bulldozed. This week Pfizer announced it is shutting down its research center.”

Dana Berliner is senior attorney at the Institute of Justice, and she had “represented the homeowners in Kelo v. New London, in which the US Supreme Court ruled that cities could condemn property because other uses may produce an increase in tax dollars and jobs.”Continue reading →

In Germany, many Americans who come over to join their family members here have found that they will never get any visa to work in the state of Hessen. The job situation for Americans is so bad that the USA Department of Defense is currently telling teachers arriving at the DOD schools throughout Germany (but especially in the Wiesbaden region) not to try and bring spouses nor kids over here because:

(1) the cost of living is to high,

(2) Germans almost never give spousal visas to work (and, in my case, even a spousal visa to live with me), and

(3) integration in Hessen for long-term foreign labor and children of laborers has been abysmal for decades.

In other words, although almost 1 out of every 3 Wiesbaden residents are of foreign birth or of foreign-born parentage, most of these foreign youth—as a whole—do not do outstandingly well in the educational and training system (for which Germany has been renowned for decades). This means that very few children of foreign born-and-raised households do as well financially and academically in society as their German counterparts.Continue reading →

In a last-minute dissent ahead of a critical war cabinet meeting on escalating the Afghan war, US Ambassador Karl Eikenberry has cast doubt on a troop escalation until the Afghan government can address corruption and other internal problems. Meanwhile, a report reveals how the US government is financing the very same insurgent forces in Afghanistan that American and NATO soldiers are fighting. Investigative journalist Aram Roston traces how the Pentagon’s civilian contractors in Afghanistan end up paying insurgent groups to protect American supply routes from attack. Continue reading →

According to latest German press releases, Germany’s population has sunk for 9 straight years—at a time that post-war baby boomers are starting to retire en masse.

This rapid decline has occurred during and after the implementation of new nationalization laws (10 years ago) and immigration reform (4-7 years ago). In short, the nation of Germany has implemented so terribly draconian laws in terms of immigration that Germany no longer has sustainable population growth at all—a big reversal from the 1990s.

I am a foreigner working in Germany who does pay taxes and for other people’s social security (known as Renten in Germany) here.

At the same time MY FAMILY life has suffered unfairly all of 2009 because of the restrictive, unfair( and likely illegal, i.e. against EU law) restrictions prohibiting reunification and unification of families in Germany.

I currently have standing in courts in this case as victim in Germany because my wife of Filipino descent has been prohibited from receiving ether (1) a visit visa or (2) a spousal visa all of 2009.

The badly thought out set of laws in Germany has, in recent years, even led to less applications for migration to Germany (each year that the new migration law have been in place since 2005).

NOTE:::45,000dollars is not enough to live as a couple—according to the draconian immigration legislation.

In May 2009, I asked a local Auslaendsbehoerde (civil servant in Wiesbaden Hessen’s integration/immigration office) exactly how much I would need to earn in order to legally bring my wife to live with me as I work in Germany.

The woman shook her head, indicating that 45,000 dollars in a year is not enough for an American to bring his or her spouse here to live.

Mrs. Ursula von der Leyen, don’t you think that is currently a ridiculously high restriction for anyone—let alone for Americans of German ancestry to face—in order to come and live in Germany?

Worse still, family and children are also affected by such a blindly bad monetary restriction.

Worse still, I earn or will have received as of end of November over 60,000-plus dollars (due to inheritance and a recently sold piece of property) in 2009 alone.

Nonetheless, I am being told by both the Wiesbaden Integration Office and the German Foreign Affairs office to-date, that I still do not earn enough to bring my wife over and reunite my household.

My wife has filed a petition against this decision with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

I have tried to file a petition with the Ministry of the Interior in Germany—to no avail. (They told me to contact the Parliament of Hessen instead.)

In July 2009, I have filed a petition in the state of Hessen for an investigation concerning the torturous restrictions on my households—and similar households in Germany and abroad. Until now, the Hessen Landestag has had no influence on the somewhat out of control Integrationsamt offices in Wiesbaden, which seem to answer to no one.

Now, I ask that the Bundesministerin für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend, which you lead, to intervene on behalf of all citizens in Germany who are being adversely affected by draconian visa restrictions, which, in turn, are threatening the stability of German society by the inability of the country to gain fresh blood, youth, and technical or soft skills to support Germany’s aging and retiring populations.

Please support my test query immediately and help your nation (to which I am committed) see that there is an important link between family, seniors and fair migration legislation, i.e. legislation and civil servants within Germany and Europe are needed who really do support families—even foreign born parents.